Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1887-06-16
DOC REYNOLDS AND GOLDEN SAND.
How He Twice Left that Prosperous
Camp.
From the Dakota Bell.

IRON the Dakota BELL
Golden Sand Camp was enjoying itself
Golden Sand Camp was happy. Why !?
Because ''publc meeting of citizens" was
being held-that event which always brings
10 the western community such pure and un-
alloyed pleasure as is only exceeded by the
circus, or the Fourth of July celebration, and
before which the wandering theatre company
and the horse-raCe must almost own their
inferiority
The meeting was being held in the hall
over the Turf Exchange saloon. Judge Pott
was chairman
'Mr Cheerman," said i'm Harrigan, as he
rose from comfortable seat on window. sill,
'lm glad to see such represenitive body O.
the citizens O Golden Sand gathered togeth-
er. 1t means business, Mr. Cheerman. Thar
air abuses here in Golden Sand which orter
be attended to, abuses which perhaps a more
eloquent man than me would say had crept
in, but which l will simply say air here.
Wot do | see in the faces O. this ere inteli-
gent aujuance by which am surrounded, Mr..
Cheerman? | see determination that these
ere abuses air goin' to be sot down on, yes,
sir, squashed, l might say"'
Mr.. Harrigan resumed his seat on the
window-sill, and when the applause his re-
Hauser arose. put one foot in chair, leaned
forward on. his knee, looked at the presiding
officer with great seriousness and said:
"Cheerman l reckon l amt got nothin'
to say except to indorse the remarks Nv the
distinguished gen'lman wot proceeded me.
Them air my sentiments, gen'lmen an
Cheerman, his ideas on this ere question air
my ideas"
Again the audience broke into applause,
and then Lem Upton got up from his seat on
an empty cracker box and said:
"Mr. Cheerman an feller citizens | must
indorse the able remarks of the fluent speakers
as recently sot down. Their remarks were TO
the pint as far as they went, but | think |
will be pardoned fer saying that they should
| 60 little further. To git right down an
waller with the business, as | might say, wot
air we goin' to do :? We all know that thar
air abuses crept in, as was so feelinly re-
marked by one gen'l' man, but how we goin'
to make em creep out, that's the question?
Ye may well smile, gen'l'men, how'r we goin'
to make EN- creep out? Or rather, how'r we
goin' to make EN- git up an hump out? Thar
air a class of people in Golden Sand as isn't
needed here. Gamblers, most NV 'em, you
understand, genPmen, most Nv EN- gamblers.
! Not that l object to gamblin', as gamblin
! I'm very fond O. sport myself but we don't
want so much O this ere profeshnal business.
| They don't help build up community A
| few of EN- air all right, but too many air
| bad thing Every time one O us strikes
lead we don't want to hev to contribute all
Nv it to some ornary gambler with a whole
pack O. keerds rammed up his sleeve. Not
much The games amt squar' enough fer
| Golden Sand, which, gen'rmen, IS as squar'
camp as thar is in the Black Hills, Territory O
Dakoty! Great applause.) OF course, ye
say we can shoot when games amt squar,
and so we do, but just bout as ofen they
shoot to, an they're blamed apt to shoot first.
Gentlemen, wot with skin games in the camps
and hoss stealing around the edges, it is time
action were took. | move, Mr.. Chairman,
that committee be app'inted to tend to the
matter"
81 secon' the notion" called several
voices.
"Genl'men," said Judge Pott, as he stop
ped his work of whiting the pine table be
hind which he sat, 'ye hev heered the mo-
ton; them that air in favor Nv it will say
yes"
There was loud roar Of 'yeses."
Il don't believe that thar is anybody wot
wants TO vote no. SO it is carried unanl-
mously. | app'nt as that committee, Lem
Upton, Jim Harrigan, Bill Hauser, Buck
Pinneo, an the cheer, an hereby empower
'em to act to onct."
The Judge put his knife in his pocket, and
the meeting broke up without the formality
Of an adjournment
Shortly after, the committee met in the
Star Of the West saloon to talk the matter
over.
I Gg,ua Il 1,r't
want to make 'em all 60"
"The ones we let stay must be mighty
squar'," replied Judge Pott.
That's the ldee, mighty squar," said
Buck Pinneo.
"The squar' ones air pretty scarce now
said Bill Hauser, who had lost heavily
lately.
mighty oncommon,' said Jim Harrigan.
Il should ledge we orter make up list an
then thar wouldn't be no danger o missin'
any," said Buck.
Il reckon we'd better" replied Lem.
"An' it pears to me that Doc Reynolds
orter lust about head that list" remarked
Judge Pott.
..That's what" returned Lem, "an' thar ne
is. too" as he drew some doubtful-looking
characters on the back Of an envelope
characters whose appearance, think, might
almost have warranted that very committee
in expelling them.
Thar is Doc down all fair and squar', an
now fer the Others"
The committee worked long and faithfully
in one corner, occasionally stopping Tor some
of the fluid stimulant furnished at two bits
glass at the bar of the Star OF the West. A
carefully prepared list was made up. 1t IN
cluded nearly all of the professional gamblers
Of Golden Sand Camp and all OF the "bad
men" and other dangerous characters. II
was, in fact, a list of names of citizens whom
the camp might well spare.
This movement looking to the improve
ment of the moral atmosphere OF Golden |
Sand is one quite frequently experienced by
western communities. 1t is movement |
which comes very slowly and, | regret to say |
one which generally does not remain popular
as long as il should But when it does come
and while il lasts it is the most thorough ana |
sweeping reform, looking at 1t from the stan
dard of the community in which II taxes
place, which could possibly occur lhere
are no halfway measures, no debating 'he
question, no lawsuits, no lnefhclehcy VI
officers, no anything but warning irom the
committee and prompt compliance Dy .he
Objectionable persons, whom experience nas
usually given greater respect ior discie'ioi'
than valor on such an occasion.
Doc REYNOLDS, who had been UNANIMOUSLY
accorded the distinction of heading the hSt'
was the best known gambler IN the camp
He was a tall, well-formed man, with a
smooth face and thoughtful, pre-occupieo